1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to mechanics' tools. More particularly the invention concerns a novel combination mechanical and magnetic manipulation and pick-up tool.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Many types of pick-up tools have been suggested in the past. Typically these tools are either magnetic, or they include some type of mechanical gripping finger arrangement which functions to pick-up the object to be retrieved. The U.S. patent to M. S. Dunkelberger, No. 2,320,967 discloses devices exemplary of this latter type of tool. The U.S. patent to J. T. Keys, No. 512,381 discloses devices exemplary of the former class of tool.
Both magnetic and mechanical devices are useful for particular applications, but each type of tool is lacking in versatility. The magnetic type tool can pick-up, or manipulate ferrous objects, but has no effect on objects made of non-ferrous metals. The mechanical tool, on the other hand, is useful in picking up ferrous and non-ferrous objects which are located so as to be readily accessible to the pick-up fingers of claws. However, such tools are generally useless in manipulating or moving the objects from one location to another. For example, if a nut or other small object to be retrieved is located proximate a wall, or in a corner of a closed chamber, often it cannot be reached by the gripping fingers of the mechanical tool and cannot be moved away from the wall or corner to a position where it is accessible to the gripping fingers.
Recognizing the lack of versatility of each of the two basic classes of tools, S. P. Winder devised a mechanical tool to which a magnetic element could be attached. This tool is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,947,564. However, in the Winter tool, when the magnetic attachment is in place the mechanical pick-up portion of the tool is rendered inoperative.
The present invention uniquely overcomes the drawbacks of the various prior art manipulation and pick-up tools by providing a combination magnetic and mechanical tool which provides at all times the advantages inherent in both types of tools. Because of the novel operable association between the prehensile, or gripping, portion of the tool and the magnetic portion of the tool, one does not interfere with the other and both can be used simulataneously to expeditiously manipulate and retrieve lost objects.